Elevator.



PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

. G. W. LEVALLEY.

ELEVA'IOR. upuouron FILED JULY 11, 1904.

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` Wim/55x55 No. 799,477. PATBNTED SEPT. 12, 1905. 0. W. LBVALLBY.

ELBVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1904.

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CHRISTOPHER W. LEVALLEY, OF MILVAUKEF, WISCONSIN.

ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 1e, 1905.

Application filed July 11, 1904'. Serial No. 216,079.I

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. LE- VALLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of' Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to conveyers, and more particularly to elevators, and has for its object to provide a means for automatically discharging the load that may be carried by the conveyer, such means-being adjustable to any A desired point in the line of the conveyer, and

possessing features of novelty and utility that will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention applied to a barrel-elevator comprising a pair of endless chains between which are arranged a series of cradles for supporting the barrels. I have chosen this form of elevator as a type, it being evident that my invention is not limited to a conveyer that transports along vertical lines only and that the cradles are but one form of a means for supporting the material or articles to be conveyed. I therefore do not wish to be considered as restricting my invention to barrel-elevators, and when hereinafter I em- LL ploy the term cradle or like term to designate the supports for the material being transported Idesire to be understood as using such term merely for convenience to designate the entire class of material -supporting devices that are analogous to a cradle, such as iiights or buckets or hooks.

. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of a barrel-elevator embodying one form of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of a shortsection of the elevator provided with a pair of oppositely-arranged cradles.,

Fig. 4 is a side view of a short section of a conveyer, illustrating different means for adjusting the discharging devices from that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the parts shown in Fig. 4, the conveyer being removed. Fig. 6 is a side view of an elevator embodying my improvements drawn to a smaller scale than the other views and represented as passing four floors A B C D of a building. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the spring-braces 9. Fig. 8 shows the lever 27 in elevation and edge views, respectively.

In the drawings, 3

8 represent upright frame-pieces, in which aremounted, respectively, the foot and head shafts l and 2. Each of these shafts carries a pair of sprocketwheels 4, over which pass the conveyer-chains 5, these being parallel with each other and spaced apart sufficiently to permit the cradles 6 beingarranged between them. Each cradle is mounted upon across-piece 7, preferably of tubular construction, and supported at its ends in the opposite chains 5. Another crossbar 8, also preferably of tubular construction, is supported in the chains and arranged adjacent to the cross-piece 7. A pair of eXtensible springbraces 9 is arranged between each cradle 6 and the cross-bar 8 adjacent thereto. The cradles are preferably secured fast to their supporting-shafts, while the latter are so mounted as to be free to turn in ported, and the braces 9 are preferably free to turn upon their.supporting-shafts and are pivoted to the cradles. The braces are preferably arranged on the outside of the loop formed by the conveyer and are connected with the cradles between their ends and the pivotal connections with their supportingrels from the cradles, I have invented and4 herein illustrated means for that purpose, such Ameans comprising mechanism that deiiects the course of the endless conveyer, and thereby causes the cradles to assume such position that the barrels will pass therefrom by gravity. Y

l() indicates an adjustable support mounted upon a slideway 1l, carried vby the upright frame-piece. Upon thissupportaremounted two idler-wheels l2 and 13, past which the conveyer-chain 5 moves and by which it is deiiected. In order to cause the cradles to discharge outwardly, the vlower of the two wheels 12 13 is arranged inside of the upper one, the preferable arrangement being that shown wherein the wheel l2 is disposed inside of the normal line of movement ofv the conveyer, while the wheel 13 is arranged in the line that would be normally followed by the conveyer were it not so deiiected.

It will be seen by reference toFig. l that -the links of the chain by which they are sup- IOO as the conveyer passes one of the discharge devices just described each cradle is caused to assume an inclined or dischargingposition by reason of the fact that the course of the conveyer is deflected. The distance between the two wheels 12 and 18 is sufliciently great to cause the cradle to assume the discharging position for a length of time suiiicient to insure the discharge of its load. making the braces 9 yielding and spring-actuated the cradle will give the barrel a sort of kick or push on being discharged to cause it to move quicklyaway from the line of the conveyer.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings I have illustrated the conveyer as being loaded at the first floor A and discharging at the floor above, B. I prefer to place an inclined skid 15 adjacent to the place of discharge to insure that the barrels shall be carried sufliciently faraway from the path of the elevator not to interfere therewith.

It will be understood that there should be two of the discharging devices just described, one for each of the conveyer-chains 5. Each discharge device is adjustable vertically along the ways 11that is, in a direction substantially parallel with the leg or run of theconveyer where the discharge is to be effectedand is provided with set-screws 16 or other means for holding it securely in place. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have represented one means for adjusting the two opposite discharging devices simultaneously. 17 indicates an endless chain connected with the support or carrier 10 and passing around the wheels 18 and 19, situated, respectively, near the bottom and top of the elevator. The lower wheels 18 are preferably mounted upon independent stud-shafts 20, while the upper wheels 19 are supported upon a common cross-shaft `21, by means of which the two chains 17, that are connected, respectively, with the opposite supports 10, are caused to move together. 22 is a crank-handle mounted upon a shaft 23, that carries a sprocket wheel or pinion 24, that is in turn connected by a chain 25 with a sprocket-wheel 26, mounted upon one of the stud-shafts 20. Itj will be evident that whenever the set-screws 16 are loosened the discharge devices may be adjusted either up or down by operating the crank-handle 22.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown another form of adjusting device. It consists of means for locking one of the wheels carried by the bracket or support 10 against rotation, thereby causing the support to move with the conveyer. Referring to these figures, 27 is a lever fulcrumed upon the adjustable support 1() and provided with a cross or T head 28. One of the arms of the cross-head of the lever is constantly seated in an aperture 29 in the bracket or support 10. When the parts are at rest and it is wished to lock the support 10, the lever is swung so as to carry the inner arm of the cross-head through the aperture 29 and into a socket or recess 30, formed in the way upon which the sliding support is mounted. Whenever it is desired to adjust the discharging device, the lever 27 is thrown in the opposite direction, withdrawing the cross -head from the socket 30 and carrying the opposite arm thereof into an aperture 31 in the sprocket-wheel 13. This locks the wheel to its bracket or support and necessarily causes the bracket and the parts carried thereby to move 'in thecdirection in which the chain may bemoving. If the adjusting devices for the opposite chains of the elevator are disconnected, as they ordinarily are, each will be adjusted independently of the other.

At the head of the elevator I have, in Fig.

6, represented means for automatically discharging'. It will be understood that as the elevator passes over the head-wheels and its course is thereby deiiected the cradles will be caused to take a discharging position and finally inverted as they reach the down-moving leg or run of the elevator. Adjacent to the head wheels and extending over their shafts are arranged the skidways 32, that receive the barrels or packages as they-are discharged from the cradles. These skidways are arranged to discharge to the upper iioor D and are suitably braced, as I have indicated at 33.

In Fig. 3 I have represented a double arrangement of cradles or supporting devices for packages, -whereby the conveyer or elevator is adapted to be loaded and discharged on both its up and down run. The arrangement described comprises two of the cross bars or shafts 7, arranged upon opposite sides of a single cross bar or shaft 8. The cradles 6 are supported on the cross-bar 7 in the manner already described, but are arranged oppositely. The braces 9, one set for each cradle, extend to the shaft 8, which serves for both sets. The forward cradle is to be used on the up run of the elevator and the rear cradle on the down run. Any suitable driving mechanism may be employed in connection with the conveyer. I have shown the head-shaft 2 as being provided with with a spur-wheel 35, with which gears a pinion 36, mounted on a shaft 37. v On this shaft are arranged the driving-pulleys 38, which are belted to any suitable motor or source of power. I have shown three such pulleys, two of them tight and one loose, upon their shaft 37, and with these I employ two belts, one crossed -and the other open. By this arrangement the elevator or co-nveyer may be driven in either direction, so that if provided -with the arrangement of supports shown in Fig. 3 either leg of the elevator may be used for elevating purposes, according to the direct-ion in which the elevator may be run.

. While I have shown and described my in- IOO IIO

vention as applied to an endless conveyer having two lines of chain, it is evident that it is clearly adapted for use in connection with a conveyer in which the supports for the material to be transported are carried by a single line of chain. It is also evident that the direction in which the conveyer may be running at the time the discharge is eected is not material to my invention, though the invention is particularly adapted for use in elevators where the loading and discharge takes place along a vertical run of the conveyer.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a conveyer arranged to carry material in substantially vertical directions, the combination of an endless chain or belt, supports for the material secured to the chain or belt and disposed substantially at right angles thereto, means for maintaining the supports in said relation at all times, and means arranged adjacent to a vertical run of the conveyer along' which the material is being carried for deflecting the chain or belt and causing the supports for the material to beinclined outward whereby the material is delivered away from the line of the conveyer, substantially as set forth.

2. rlhe combination with an endless conveyer provided with supports for the material to be transported, the conveyer being arranged to convey along substantially vertical lines, of a device for deflecting the course of the conveyer to cause the material to be discharged, arranged adjacent to a vertically-disposed run of the elevator, the said deflecting device comprising two wheels with which the conveyer engages, the lower wheel being set inward relative to the upper wheel, whereby the load is discharged outward away from the con-r veyer, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with an endless conveyer having supports for material to be transported, of an adjustable discharging device having a pair of wheels with which the conveyer engages and arranged to deflect the conveyer from its normal course, whereby the supports are brought Lto a discharging position, substantially as set forth.

t. In a conveyer, the combination of an endless chain, supports carried by the chain for the material to be transported arranged substantially transverse thereto, means for maintaining the said supports in said relation to the chain, and adjustable means for deflecting the course of the chain and the transverselyarranged supports, whereby the supports are caused to assume a position to discharge their loads in a direction away from the line of the conveyer where the discharge takes place, substantially as set forth.

5. In aconveyer, the combination of an endless chain, a support for the material to be transported, a brace for holding the support firmly in position to carry its load said brace being lconnected with the support between its louter edge and its connection with the chain and also connected with the chain ata point somewhat distant from the connection ofthe chain and support and means for diverting the course of the chain to cause the support to assume a position to discharge its load, substantially as set forth.

6. Ina conveyer, the combination of the endless chains, the supports for the material to be transported carried thereby,the spring-braces 9 for the supports, and the means for deflecting the course of the chains to cause the supports to assume an inclined position, the spring-braces operating to push the load as it is being Ydischarged and thereby assist in its delivery, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of an endless conveyer having the cradles 6 and the braces therefor, the adjustable brackets or supports l0, and the wheels l2 and v13 carried by the brackets, such wheels being arranged to deect the courseV of the conveyer, substantially as set forth.

8. AIn a conveyer, the combination witlrthe endless chains, of the double supports for the material to be transported, consisting of a pair of oppositely-arranged cradles 6, the cross-shafts 7 extending between the chains upon which theA cradles are supported, another cross-shaft 8 extending between the chains and disposed intermediate the crossshafts 7, and the braces extending from the cross-shaft 8 to the two cradles, substantially as set forth. l

9. The combination with an endless conveyer having supports for the material to be transported, of an adjustable discharging device for the conveyer, an endless chain connected therewith, arranged substantially parallel with one leg or run of the conveyer, and means for moving the chain to adjust the discharging device, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with an endless conveyer having supports for the material to be transported, of a discharging device for the conveyer adjustable along a path adjacent to one run of the conveyer, an endless chain connect-ed with the discharging device for adjusting it, a crank-handle 22, and gearing between the crank-handle and the chain for adjusting the discharging device, substantially as set forth.

'11. The combination with a conveyer comprising a pair of endless chains, and supports for the material to be transported carried by the chains, of a pair of discharging devices arranged to be engaged by the chains of the conveyer and to deliect the course of the latter to cause the material-supports to assume a discharging position, the endless chains 17 connected with the discharging devices, and` IOO IIO

means for operating the chains 17 sirnnltane- I adjacent to the head-Wheel and arranged to ously to adjust the position of the discharging,` devices, substantially as set forth.

l2. The Combination of an endless eonveyer 5 having supports for the material to be transt Witnesses:

ported, a head-wheel around which the eon- W. C. SARGENT, veyer passes, and the skid-irons 32 disposed receive the loads from the Carriers as they pass such wheels, substantially as set forth. CHRISTOPHER W. LEVALLEY.

V. l. KLOFANDA. 

